Illmade
by inkpot101
Summary: Enys wants one thing in life: Gold, and lots of it. And she intends to get it by fair means or foul, but she's not the kind of girl to play fair.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Don't own anything, of course!_

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><p>Chapter 1: The Alehouse<p>

"Devin! Devin!" Enys rolled her eyes and sighed at having failed to capture her friend's attention.

Devin was sat across the table from her, enjoying the flirtations of an attractive barmaid who was perched on his lap. He was cockily shaking the game dice in one hand whilst cupping the wench's backside in the other. Enys was displeased to note that the candlelight made his face particularly handsome, his dark curly hair glinted with golden lights and his broad smile gave him a charmingly roguish expression. He was paying Enys no attention whatsoever, despite the fact that fixing the game of dice had been her idea in the first place.

"Get off me!" Enys grumbled at the man sat next to her, a drunken sot who kept putting his hand further and further up her leg.

The man chuckled and took a huge glug of his ale, "Calm down, little one. Your boyfriend's otherwise occupied so why don't you come along a' me for the night eh?"

"Ugh" the girl wrinkled her nose with distaste and picked up the heavy paw that was resting on her leg and put it resolutely back on the table. "No thanks. Devin, for God's sake!" She slapped her hand on the table.

That caught Devin's attention. He and the other gamblers turned their gaze on Enys. The barmaid looked particularly unimpressed.

"What?" he asked irritably.

"You to roll," snapped Enys, "Highest double to win." She raised an eyebrow to remind him of why they were sat in the poxy little tavern in the first place.

"Oh yes," Devin's grin grew wider and more roguish, "Highest double to win - you still up for that Kimball?"

"Aye," grunted the man next to Enys raising his drink, "An' if I win that coin I'll give this little thing here a night she won't forget!" he leaned close, "An' my dice never lose love. Trust me, I've got a lucky pair. I'll let you give em a shake if you want."

He pulled Enys close to him and leered at her, chortling drunkenly. She pulled herself out of his grasp and scowled at the look of amusement on Devin's face. The sooner this was all over and they could get out of here the better. Technically she and Devin were still on the run and if she wasn't very much mistaken that was a table of the King's knights in the corner. She watched them out of the corner of her eye. Devin's show boating was getting more and more boisterous as he drank, his boasts and taunts were becoming louder and louder and Enys could see their previous victims glaring at them from the corners of the room. She'd wanted to leave half an hour ago whilst their winnings were high but unsuspicious. Eight games won on the trot generally aroused interest and when you were a known criminal playing with loaded dice then interest wasn't particularly welcome. Still she'd let Devin have his fun and if he was caught then she'd grab the coin and slip away. More likely than not there would just be a brawl which he'd crawl back from in the morning with a black-eye and a sheepish smile.

"And if I win that coin, I'll be sharing it with this young lady here in exchange for a night I'll never forget!" Devin announced and buried his face in the barmaid's chest whilst she giggled raucously. There was a huge chorus of whoops and wolf whistles from the crowd that gathered and Enys only just surpressed a smile. Kimball, Devin's opponent signalled the head barmaid, a pretty but slightly forbidding redhead, to bring them more drinks. He winked at Enys and handed her a cup off the tray.

The redhead scanned the table with suspicious eyes, "Keep it clean alright boys, I'll be watching you."

"Oh aye?" Devin called to her retreating back, "Like what you see, do you?"

Enys snorted with laughter and looked up at the redhead as she whirled around angrily.

"Leave it out." The barmaid snapped.

"Steady Vanora, love," Kimball slurred, "'es a good lad this 'un. 'Es a very good lad young Dervlan."

"Devin!" Shouted the young man, pouring wine from the pitcher and holding the goblet to his barmaid's lips.

"Hush," Enys motioned for Devin to be quiet. He was distinctive enough as it was without shouting his name to the world.

Vanora huffed and crossed her arms, exchanging heated words with the dangerously rowdy men at the table. Enys watched her for a while, craning her neck to look up at the tall woman but eventually the words the redhead spoke faded as Enys focused on something much more interesting dangling from the belt around her waist. Enys recognised the glint of gold straight away. Hanging from the barmaid's rather plain woven belt was a heart-shaped pendant made of twisted gold plaits. Set into the gold were several precious stones. Enys' eyes fixed on the pendant greedily. Licking her lips she glanced up at Vanora, who was still railing at a smirking Devin, and decided that the risk was worth the price. With well-practiced fingers, Enys deftly unhooked the pendant from its chain and slipped it into her boot. Hurriedly she picked up Kimball's drink and lifted it to her lips to hide her face.

Kimball guffawed and slapped her on the back, "That's right love, drink up! We're all here for a bit of fun."

Vanora shook her head and pressed her way back through the crowd away from the table.

"Alright then, gents!" Devin yelled, swaying slightly, "Who wants to see Kimball and I play?"

There was a great cry of yays and clapping from the crowd. They pressed in on the table and nearly knocked Enys out of her seat. Devin winked at her and she glared back.

"You to roll first kind sir." Devin said to Kimball, grinning broadly.

"Ta lad." Kimball raised his glass and then raised the dice in his fist. He held the fist to Enys' lips, "For luck, love."

She obliged and kissed his knuckles, keeping her eyes fixed on his face. If she could distract him a little he wouldn't be able to throw straight. Some of these players could dictate their dice scores with their throw. A draw would be disastrous. They needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Kimball threw the dice and the crowd quietened and leaned in to watch as they skittered across the table. There was a collective intake of breath as they stopped to reveal the score.

"Five and Six, Eleven!" Roared Kimball triumphantly, "You'll have to be bloody lucky to beat that son. Get this'un to give you one of her special kisses with those lucky lips." He picked up Enys' hand and kissed it sloppily. Enys grimaced and wiped it on her dress, which caused much mirth amongst the crowd.

"I've got my own over here thanks," said Devin holding the dice up for the barmaid to kiss, "And I'll need luck to be able to call the numbers properly." He added devilishly. The maid laughed uproariously and the men nudged each other before she kissed him passionately on the lips. Enys frowned frustratedly at Devin causing such a scene.

"Aw don't be jealous sweetheart," murmered Kimball, "You can kiss me like that if you want." He pressed his face closer to Enys'.

She pushed him away gently, "Maybe if you win, sir."

In the incredibly unlikely event that Kimball did win, she probably would in exchange for a few of the coins.

"No kiss for little Enys then!" Devin shouted and he threw the dice across the table.

The dice landed almost immediately.

"Six and Six!" Devin said scooping up the coin which had been laid out for the bet, "That makes twelve, my friend, which makes me the winner!"

Kimball looked on dumbfounded, "You can't jus' take all my coin like that? What am I going to say to the Mrs?"

Enys patted him on the shoulder as she stood up, "Don't worry mate, if she hasn't realised what a bore you are by now she never will."

"Now you listen here wench -"

"Night, Kimball. Devin?"

Enys gathered her things together to leave. As she picked up the coin purse from the table she looked over at Devin questioningly. His mouth seemed glued to that of the barmaid and he showed no inclination to get up and leave.

"Devin let's go."

Without letting go of the barmaid, Devin raised his hand to tell Enys to wait. The men were jostling each other merrily around the table and the crowd, instead of dissipating after the game, seemed to have grown in size. Kimball, slumped across the table was still grumbling over his loss and flipping his dice over in his fingers. Enys chanced a glance over to the knights' table. The spectacle Devin had created seemed to have attracted their attention: the men were craning their necks over towards the gaming table, all except one, who was cradling the pretty barmaid Vanora on his lap. Enys watched in distaste as the man she was with ran his hands over Vanora's waist and hips. Suddenly the man started and he and Vanora seemed to notice something wrong. They groped at Vanora's belt desperately and seemed to be talking rapidly to each other. Forgetting herself in a vague sense of panic, Enys stared openly at them: they had noticed the missing pendant. In an unfortunate moment of fate the couple looked up to see Enys staring at them and quickly they jumped to the right conclusion, their brows creasing simultaneously.

Enys started backwards, her eyes wide. Inwardly she cursed herself for giving herself away, it was an elementary mistake. She looked wildly at Devin who was still pleasurably distracted.

"Devin! Now - let's go!"

At Enys' urgent cry Devin looked up. His eyes were slightly bleary and uncomprehending at first but he was quickly able to read Enys' intent. Pushing the barmaid off his lap, he got up hastily. Enys glanced over her shoulder: Vanora and her knight were pushing their way through the crowd and behind them Enys could see that the knights' table was deserted.

"Shit." She muttered.

"Now there's a good choice of words," whispered a low voice in Enys' ear making her jump.

She turned around only to come face to face with what she was fairly sure was one of the Knights. His clothes were rich and his face handsome but there was something in his stance and menacing tone that convinced her that she was a man of action. Instantly she tried to move through the crowd, slipping like and eel through the sweaty, alcohol soaked bodies but the knight was too quick for her. He grabbed her arm and reeled her back to his side, folding her back against his chest, one muscled arm crossed tightly over her breasts and the other subtly holding a knife to her stomach. Enys couldn't see the blade but she could feel the cold line of it through her thin dress.

"I wouldn't move if I was you," said the voice in her ear again. The man was so close that Enys could feel his rough stubble against her cheek. "You might just get stuck." He pressed the tip of the knife against her skin.

Enys drew her breath in through her teeth and went for the option which worked most times. She burst into noisy and raucous tears.

Devin instantly looked around and pulled out his own blade, a rusty brittle knife which looked like it would do more damage due to its condition than the skill of its wielder. His cocky smile and glinting eyes were gone now and his face held the feral look that Enys so clearly recognised. The one that resembled a cornered wild animal. The one that she so often shared. Enys bawled even louder hoping to snap Devin out of his relapse into instinctual behaviour. It did the trick, Devin dropped his knife on the table. His face relaxed into an easy smile, his dark eyes regained their twinkling warmth.

"Come now fellah," he said to the man holding Enys, "Let her go. What you playing at?"

The knight tensed behind Enys, clutching her tighter and pressing the knife blade to her stomach threateningly.

"I think we should be asking you what game it is you're playing at, my lad." Said a huge blonde man, who reminded Enys of a bear.

"Dice gentlemen, dice," Devin managed to conceal the panic in his voice fairly well. He glanced around the crowd, his eyes resting on certain members. Enys followed his gaze and her heart sank as she realised that the patrons of the pub were slowly retreating to allow the knights to step forward.

The blonde knight picked up Devin's dice which still lay on the table and weighed them in the palm of his hand, "Not a very fair game is it? Not with loaded dice."

A murmer went around the tavern crowd.

"Cheat!"

"Liar!"

"Thief!"

"That little slut-"

Kimball looked up from where he'd been sulking at the table, "You pair of sods!" he exclaimed. He pointed a finger accusingly at Enys, "You! You tricked me...said you was on a losing streak."

"Pretty good losing streak to win nine games...one can only wonder what you're like on a good night..." another of the knights said evenly.

Devin sensed danger, and sensed that most of it was being directed at him. "Well it wasn't my idea - it was Enys's. The dice belong to her."

Enys sobbed even louder and more pathetically allowing her body to slump so that the only thing holding it up was knight's arm across her chest. "I-it wasn't I swear! I've never-never met him uh-until today." she choked out.

Inside she was fuming but knew she would've done the same in Devin's situation.

"You lying mare!" Devin said as the blonde knight rolled his eyes and gripped the boy's arm. Devin tried to tug himself free but failed. "It's her! Enys!" He looked appealingly at her his eyes asking her desperately what to do.

Enys gave the tiniest shake of her head to tell her partner to be quiet. Vanora had stepped over to them now.

"What've you done with my pendant you trollope?"

"I duh-don't know what you're talking about."

Her burly companion knight raised a sausage like finger and wagged it in Enys' face, "You give 'er that pendant back girly, or I swear I'll rip your boyfriends cock off and make you eat it. See if you recognise the taste when it's been roasted over an open fire eh."

Enys sniffed wetly and looked up at her accusers with baleful eyes.

"Well," said a tall knight with tattoos under his eyes, "let us put you in a cell at Arthur's pleasure for the night and we'll see if you can retrieve it in the morning."

Devin allowed himself to look panicked and Enys did not blame him. They could not afford to stay another night in this town.

"Nah," said the burly knight, "now or I swear to God his cock's coming off." He drew out a knife.

Enys just sniffled and blubbered even more. She ducked her head and watched from under her eyelashes as the knight drew closer to Devin. Devin's eyes were fixed on the knight's knife; the knight's eyes were fixed on Enys. Behind her, Enys could feel the knight holding her shaking with laughter. The knife drew nearer and nearer Devin's breeches and it seemed from the knight's eyes that he really meant to carry out his threat, Vanora even turned her face away and covered her ears in anticipation of the gruesome event.

"Bors..." said the blonde knight with a hint of warning.

"Nah Gawain," growled Bors, "If you'd had to stick as many people as I did just to get that trinket you'd want it back too."

"If I didn't know you better, Bors, I'd say you're getting a little sentimental," said the voice behind Enys.

"Well, this lad'll see how sentimental I am eh?" Bors raised the knife and the knights began to chortle and brace themselves. The crowd drew in its breath. Devin seemed speechless with terror; his eyes were wider than Enys had ever seen them. Bors slit open the front of Devin's breeches and reached inside. If possible Devin's eyes went even wider and he started to burble.

"Come on, you're not serious?" He said in a high pitched voice, "You can't!"

"Oh yes I can laddie," Bors grinned evilly and fixed his malevolent gaze on Enys, "'Es a big boy aint he? You gonna miss all that eh girlie?"

Enys kept her head lowered but then Bors raised the knife to the opening of Devin's breeches. Devin let out a string of incoherent swear words his eyes almost rolling back in a swoon. The chants and jeers of the crowd grew louder, the knight holding her tensed. She bit her lip and stopped the tears.

"Fine."

Bors pulled the knife away from Devin's crotch and turned to look at her, "Fine, what?"

Enys shook the hair out of her eyes and lifted her chin, "Fine, I'll give you back your little love token. If it really means that much to you."

The knight behind her laughed at her reference to Bors' sentimentality.

Irritated Enys turned round to him as much as she could, "You'll have to let me go so I can get it."

"Oh, I don't think that'll be necessary," said the knight smoothly, "Just tell us where it is and I'm we'll be able to find it."

There was a chorus of jeers from the crowd and the knights laughed bawdily as a blush grew on Enys' face. She looked at Devin who seemed not to care much anymore. The knight Bors still had his hand in Devin's breeches and the young man looked as though he was about to swoon or scream at any minute.

"Itsinmyboot," Enys said as quickly as she could, in a low tone so that only the knight holding her would hear.

"I'm sorry," the knight said lowering his head to hers over her shoulder, "Didn't quite catch that."

Enys snarled and bit out through gritted teeth, "The pendant is in my right boot."

Before she knew what was happening the knight had let out a grunt of satisfaction and laughing had picked her up and plonked her on the table, scattering the dice and goblets. Enys shook her hair out of her eyes and glared at her captors indignantly. For Devin she saved an extra venomous look.

"Now then, no need to make a fuss," Eny's curly-haired captor said getting to his knees in front of her, "You just sit there like a good girl."

He grinned and bit his bottom lip at the other knights and the crowd let out a howl of laughter. Making a show for the tavern, the knight gripped Enys' ankle in one hand and ran his other hand up her leg pushing back her tattered skirt and exposing her pale, if rather grubby, calf. Still holding her ankle so her leg was stretched out straight, in front of the crowd of drooling bar urchins, the knight looked steadily in Enys's eyes as he pushed her skirt over her knee in a rough, jerky movement. She gasped and the crowed let out a chorus of crows and jeers. In another jerky movement, the knight, grinning lasciviously now, revealed another inch of thigh: the crowd cried out in good humour again. He did this repeatedly to a more and more raucous reception until he reached the hem of Eny's under tunic, any further and he would expose her entirely to the tavern. Enys, who until now had born the humiliation with stoic contempt, trying not to fuel the knight on by resisting, suddenly felt her panic show in her face. With wide-eyes she silently implored him to go no further but could not see from his face what exactly his intent was. Suddenly breaking her gaze, the knight grinned and raised his eyebrows at the crowd. A huge cheer went up and the men started to get louder and louder one man calling for the knight, Lancelot it seemed, to expose the little thief's hidden treasures.

Lancelot seemed too egg them on raising the crowd to a peak of excitement until, "So this boot eh?"

He ran his hand right back down Eny's leg to the top of her boot just above her ankle and she shut her eyes in relief. The crowd booed good-naturedly. Enys tried to push her skirt back down but Lancelot stopped her without even looking up from her foot.

"Don't even think about it, you just sit still. What do you say lads, shall we have this boot off?"

A gleeful roar spread throughout the tavern. Enys saw that couple of the knights though rolled their eyes at their colleague's showing off and couldn't help agreeing with them. What an arse.

Soon a chant had spread through the crowd until a deafening, "OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF," resounded in Enys' ears.

With a look of malevolent self-satisfaction, the knight winked at Enys. Slowly he slid his hands around her ankle in a deliberately sensual way and, as slowly as humanly possible, he pulled off her grimy boot. She heard the sound of the golden pendant clattering to the ground and knew all was lost. She was humiliated, deprived of the chance of selling off a good piece and was probably in for punishment at these knight's behest. One that would probably involve exposing a lot more than her foot to this Lancelot if the look in his eyes was to be believed.

"What a pretty little foot," he crowed, still holding it tightly, "such lovely little toes."

He placed a wisp of a kiss on each one, brave of him, Enys thought, she hadn't washed in weeks. Lancelot bent down to pick up the pendant, all the while grinning at the crowd.

"Here you go, Bors," He said pompously, "Tell your lady to keep it better this time."

Bors released Devin, who almost sank to the floor in relief, and took the pendant. It was a split moment in time where, for the first time that evening, no-one's eyes seemed to be on Devin or Enys. Everyone was watching the transaction of the pendant or using the momentary pause in the action to bury their faces in their tankards. It was Enys' only chance. Her mind was made up instantaneously: mustering all her strength the used her still booted foot to kick the knight kneeling at her feet clean in the face. He had not been expecting it and there was a satisfactory crunch and spray of red blood and the connection was made. In the moment it took for everyone to notice and register what had happened, Eny's had hopped off the table and grabbed Devin's arm. He responded immediately, it was not exactly a situation either of them were unfamiliar with after all, and together they bolted head first into the crowd. Nobody really seemed to resist them as they ran out the door of the tavern, as they had not quite registered what had happened. But once Enys and Devin were out onto the street an outrage cry broke out and they were followed.

Without speaking or needing to formulate a plan of any sort, Enys and Devin just ran together. It was what they were best at: running away. Adrenalin carried them where they needed to go, to the gate house which led out of town.

The gnarled old sentry turned with his lantern as the sound of running feet slapping against the mud drifted over to him,

"Where do you think you're-"

Devin bowled him out of the way and grabbed Enys' hand pulling her along after him. Behind them the towns people were shouting threats after them and the ground shook with their pursuers. Breaking out of town onto the long track ahead, Enys knew that they had three options, stick to the path and definitely be caught, break out onto the moors and probably be caught or scurry into the thick woods and hope that their hunters lost interest or motivation. With the moon so dark and the night so late, the forest seemed like a fairly safe bet. They would have to be very dedicated upholders of the law if the knights were going to follow two petty criminals in there.

Wordlessly she signalled to Devin her decision by pulling on his hand. Glancing at her, then the forest he comprehended and nodded his agreement. They ran together through the ancient trees, jumping over roots and ducking branches. The forest gloom was dark and all pervasive so they had to rely on previous experience and their other senses to get them through without incident. Eventually the voices behind them died away but they did not stop running. They ran until the sun rose high enough in the sky for its light to seep through the thick leaves and illuminate the thick mossy floor and cracking bark of the woods around them. Only then, when oppressive silence was broken only by the tentative singing birds and the creak of old wood, did they collapse together on the forest floor panting and painfully gasped in the musty air.

When he could speak again, Devin turned to look at Enys on the ground next to him, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she gasped, "But I'll tell you now, I never, ever want to see a king's knight again."

Devin chuckled, "Me neither."

Enys looked at him suspiciously as the corners of his lips twitched, "What?"

Devin looked at her seriously, with big, dark eyes,"I just hope that Bors doesn't miss me too much, I think he fancied me his touch was so tender." He looked away wistfully for effect as Enys howled with laughter.

Eventually she recovered herself, "Well, he was certainly appreciative of your...size."

Devin's wistful look disappeared and he leaned a little closer, his eyes darkening, "Perhaps you'd like to appreciate it too." He trailed his finger up Enys' arm, "to celebrate its living to, er, fight another day."

"I don't like fighting," said Enys coyly.

"Then don't fight with it," Devin grinned, leaning over her, "Just show it a little affection, it's had a rough night."

Enys laughed madly at Devin's earnest face and rolled her eyes, running her hands down Devin's chest and into the cut Bors had made in his breeches, "Oh go on then – but this is only for his poor sake and not yours."

Devin smirked, "Well I'm a self-less soul, whatever it takes to make him feel better-er-ah!"

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><p><em>Author's Note: I found this story when looking through some old documents on my computer the other day and thought I'd submit it to see what people think. It's all written out so if there's a good response I'll post the rest of it while I try and work through my writers block for my other stories. I completely forgot about this one so would love to know what you think and if you lot like it then I will publish more! Hope you enjoy! x<em>


	2. Chapter 2

Devin groped his way into the dark room, cursing Enys for not leaving the candles on as she had promised. Stumbling over the the window he managed to undo his breeches and swinging the shutters open, he urinated out of the window with a sigh of satisfaction and relief. The moonlight shone into the room, which was on the second floor of an old roman house, illuminating the various detritus that he and Enys had managed to accumulate. The make-shift mattress, made of straw and cloth, stood in the centre of the room and it was onto this that Devin collapsed in a slowly diminishing haze of ale.

After a few minutes, it dawned on Devin that there was something missing from the room. Enys was not there. He did not recall when she had left the the tavern but remembered that she had done so long before him, he had assumed she would be waiting here. Grumbling to himself, Devin pushed himself off the bed and stuck his head out of the window again in a vague attempt to find his missing friend. Enys had been jumpy since their escapade with the King's knights a few weeks ago and her dislike for taverns and gaming had been exacerbated but Devin had thought that in this new town she would recover her nerve. As it was it appeared she had done one of her characteristic runners.

Devin swept a hand through his curly hair and belched, "She'll be back in the morning."

"She's back now," said a thoroughly unimpressed voice from the doorway.

Devin turned around quickly, swaying only slightly on his feet, "Where'd you go? I was looking for you."

"Devin," Enys sighed, taking off her boots, "Sticking your head out the window does not count as looking for me."

The young man shrugged and collapsed on the mattress next to Enys, propping himself up on one elbow. "So where have you been?"

Enys smirked and reached down to unhook something from her belt, a purse full of coin, "The same tavern as you, only I was doing something useful."

Devin's eyes widened and he grinned broadly, "You little thief!"

"One of us has to be productive," Enys snapped, trying to hide her proud smile, "we can't both sit in the tavern and get drunk."

Devin hooked his hand around the back of Enys' neck, pulling her towards him, and pressed his lips against hers.

Enys' eyes widened and she looked at Devin suspiciously, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just happy we've got a bit of money now, just want to celebrate..."

Enys scowled and turned away abruptly. Devin flopped back on the straw mattress: he was used to Enys' fluctuating affections by now. In lieu of gratification of his wants he reached into a pocket and pulled out a ring that had been given him as a token by one of the bar wenches he had dined with earlier. It was heavy - real gold - and decorated with an engraved serpent design. It was an unusual trinket for a lowly barmaid but Devin wagered it had been a gift from a former lover who was now in disgrace. Closing his eyes he remembered the barmaid's tumbling breasts, her skin had been sallow but her figure deliciously full and her face fair enough even if a little heavy about the brows...but those breasts...

"What's that?" Enys' sharp, surly voice tore Devin away from his pleasant reminiscences.

Devin opened his eyes to see hers fixed upon the glinting ring in his hand, "A token from a barmaid." He narrowed his eyes, "Do you like it?"

Enys shrugged and leaned to snatch the trophy off him but he was too quick for her and withdrew his hand out of her reach.

"Let me hold it," Enys snapped, her dark beady eyes following the movement of the ring intently.

"No!" exclaimed Devin as Enys clamboured over the mattress to reach him, "If I give it you, you won't give it back. I know you. You're a greedy little sneakthief!"

"Just let me see it!" Enys reached out again but Devin grabbed her by the wrist and twisted her hand back. She cried out in pain and slapped out at Devin with her free hand, scratching at his clothes.

They struggled together for a while until Devin, gasping for breath, released Enys' wrist and shot off the mattress, "You know Enys," he managed to pant, "This is why we always get into trouble! There would have been none of that business with the King's knights if you had not been such a damned magpie!"

"You were the one pushing your luck with the dice!" Enys spat back, " Were it not for you making such a noise, they may never have got onto us."

The cheat and the thief glared at each other in the darkness. Enys fought to ignore the way the moonlight glinted off Devin's dark curls like water running off a raven's wing and Devin tried valiantly to pay no attention to Enys' dark, lustrous eyes.

Eventually he seemed to weaken, "Fine you can have a look."

He held out the ring and Enys leapt up to grab it but Devin stopped her in her tracks, clutching her outstretched arm as he whipped the jewel away from her. Enys found herself about an inch away from Devin's face. His breath washed over her. It smelt of ale and something spicy, the same woody spice that Devin always smelt of.

"You didn't think I was just going to give it to you did you?" Devin brushed his nose against Enys' suggestively.

"No." said Enys as sullenly as she could.

And even though she was sorely angry at him, Devin still managed to take Enys' breath away when he kissed her. Enys opened her mouth and drew him in, giving him her best possible kiss: the glint of gold still imprinted on her closed eyelids. She felt Devin's hands run through her hair. He had put the ring on - she could feel the band of metal pressing into her scalp. Through the heavy, sensual blurr of the kiss, Enys fixed her mind on the gold, kissing Devin harder as the gold in her mind glowed brighter.

Devin pressed Enys back into the itchy mattress and they instantly set about the dance they had done a hundred times before, tearing off each other's clothes and appreciating each other's bodies, before consumating the act. Devin, still warmed by beer and barmaids' caresses, was in an amorous mood and resolved to make himself good sport for Enys. He moved in and out of her with the long, langrous strokes she liked and stroked those parts of her body that he knew made her bite her bottom lip - _Like so!_ - and make those wonderful sighs of gratification. She, on her part, wrapped her legs around Devin's waist and pressed her hands against his buttocks to encourage him further. Eventually the luxurious pace quickened to one of urgency. Enys cried out and pressed her face to Devin's chest as he grunted out his release.

He collapsed on top of her for a while. Enys wound her fingers in the black curls as she held him to her chest, cradling him still between her thighs. He was heavy but Enys was strong and his weight calmed her.

Eventually Devin spoke, "We can leave this town if you want. There's not much here to pick on - it's more of a village really, just peasants and a tavern."

Enys sighed and kissed the top of his curly head, "I do think we should be moving on...it does not do well for us to stay in one place for too long."

Eventually they drifted into sleep. When Enys woke, the watery pink light of dawn was creeping through the window and the sleepy little village was starting to rise. Closing her eyes again, Enys listened to Devin's snores and the birds singing outside. She was not the sort of sentimental girl to convince herself that this was all she needed, a roof, a bed and a man, but sometimes - just sometimes - it was nice to lie and forget that there was a world that existed other than Devin and herself. Just as Enys' eyes were about to flutter shut again she heard shouts from the street below.

Pulling her tunic on, Enys eased herself from underneath Devin's arm which was clamped around her waist and crept slowly to the window. She blinked in the bright morning sun and leant on the windowsill to get a better look at the growing rucus in the street. A man was shouting at a woman - _nothing new there_, Enys thought.

"You silly goose!" the man shouted, "That wasn't a token of love - you were meant to hang on to it until I came back. It was bloody collateral for your father. Your father who I am now returning safe and sound!"

The woman was crying now. Enys cradled her face in her hands disinterestedly viewing the unfolding scene below. The man's hair looked familiar - dark and curly like Devin's. And something about his voice sounded familiar as well. She wondered idly about the stories of the people below. The curly-haired man must have taken the goose's father somewhere and left whatever trinket it was to let the girl know that he would return him.

A warm weight settled around Enys. Devin had put his arms around her and leant his head on her shoulders. She shrugged him off with a little huff. Devin chuckled and leant against the windowsill too.

"What are you watching out there?" he asked.

Enys nodded at the scene in front of her, "Some bloke getting his rag off."

Devin chortled and then choked, "Bollocks!"

Enys gasped as Devin grabbed her elbow and dragged her away from the window, "Devin! Devin! What you doing?"

Devin ignored her and scrambled round the room pulling on clothes and gathering their little bundles of belongings together. Enys looked on bewildered.

"Devin!"

Her companion looked round at her wild-eyed, "It's that bloody brute! The one from the bar!"

"What are you talking about?" Enys ran back to the window and thrust her head outside. Suddenly she saw what Devin had seen - the knight who had threatened to cut off his - "Bollocks!"

The men on the ground looked up at her exclamation and Enys almost fainted when she saw the face of the curly-haired man. How had she not recognised him sooner? He was the one that had held a knife to her ribs in that very same tavern. His handsome face curled into a sinister grin whilst the brutish one positively growled. Enys stumbled back from the window and tumbled backwards onto the bed. Devin shoved her out of the way and made a bolt for the door.

"Wait -"

Enys flung out her arm and caught Devin by the ankle, bringing him him crashing to the floor. They snarled and grasped at each other as both struggled to reach the door first. All sense of comraderie was the first thing to go when when they were cornered. Devin grabbed a chunk of Enys' hair and Enys bit him hard on the shoulder making him howl like a wounded animal. Hissing and spitting at each other, they barely noticed when someone else reached the door first and it burst open, slamming off its hinges into the room.

"Well, would you look at this Lancelot - two theiving rats in one hole."

Enys felt herself lifted off the floor. Shaking her hair out of her eyes, she kicked and hit her hands against the huge man who held her. He simply laughed, his belly shaking up and down, and gripped her stronger. The curly-haired man, Lancelot, was idly holding Devin at the point of a sword. His expression was one of lazy enjoyment.

"So," he drawled, "We found you, just when we stopped looking for you in fact. Isn't that funny?"

"N-not from where I'm standing," Devin squeaked.

Enys held her tongue, the larger man was gripping her arm so tightly she was afraid it might snap off. Her pain was short lived. The man holding her passed her off to Lancelot so he could threaten Devin himself.

"You took something very valuable from me boy..." he growled.

Devin whimpered as his eyes rolled back into his head, "I-it wasn't me - you saw at the bar, it was her!"

"Now, Bors that's a very fair point..." Lancelot stroked Enys' hair neatly behind her ear, smirking insufferably, "It was this creature here that took your trinket. She's awfully quiet...do you have nothing to say for yourself girl?"

Enys scowled up at her captor, "Don't need to say anything. You got your jewel back didn't you?"

"Ah, she has a tongue!" Lancelot exclaimed mockingly.

Bors let out a filthy belch of a chuckle and slapped a shaking Devin on the back, "Hope she puts it to good use boy, for all the trouble she's landed you in."

Lancelot ignored his comrade, "So we've been travelling here on a completely separate mission and in every town we've stopped, we here pleas from the townsfolk asking us to bring two little thieves to justice. A boy and a girl, grubby and skinny, they've been cheating at dice, robbing - sometimes with force - purses, food, drink, clothes, you name it." He cast a nonchalent eye over Devin, "Oh, and there are a fair few barmaids with a mind to wring your neck."

"Might not be us," Enys spat, "There're plenty of people out there doing that."

Lancelot pulled her towards him and gripped her chin hard, "Yes but not many of them bear Crotus' brand."

Enys opened and closed her mouth rapidly, her throat running dry. The knight held her gaze ruthlessly and his grip on her tightened, "Turn around," he said in a deadly calm voice, "And we will see whether or not you match the description we're looking for. If so you have far more to answer for than a knight's stolen love trinket."

Swallowing hard, Enys allowed her eyes to flicker over to Devin. His face was pale and his eyes wide. He shook his head, imploring Enys not to obey their captors but the large knight grabbed his hair and pushed him to the floor.

"Do as my colleague says girlie," rumbled Bors, pointing his sword at Devin's throat.

"Check him!" Enys squeaked, her composure cracking, "Check him! I never did anything I swear - I swear!"

"Ah now, checking your friend would be so much less enjoyable," Lancelot hissed.

He let go of Enys' chin and pushed her face away from him in the action. Grabbing her roughly by the shoulders he spun Enys round so quickly that she fell to her knees with a grunt.

"Please...please," she begged, her voice shaking and an wretched sob rising in her throat, "Don't."

Lancelot did not take pity, "Get up. Off the floor - Now!"

She stood, trembling, and started to look behind her but the knight, standing close behind her, grabbed the sides of her face and forced it to look straight ahead. Enys' breathing grew shallow as his fingers edged beneath the cloth covering the back of her neck. They lingered there for a while before the strong hands ripped Enys' tunic straight down the back. Without pausing to caress this time, the hands pushed the tunic forwards until it fell to the floor and roughly bundled Enys' hair over her head. Her shaky breath causing the curtain of hair in front of her to ripple and twist, Enys felt fingers running up the small of her back, along her spine and finally coming to rest on what she knew to be raised scar-flesh just below her hairline, on the nape of her neck.

The voice that spoke sounded like it came from a million miles away though it came from the man stood that stood not an inch behind Enys.

"Crotus."


	3. Chapter 3

"Well I think this is about as desperate as we've ever been."

"I know Devin, just shut up and let me think."

"What is there to think about?" Devin hissed, "Unless you're about to unleash a hereto hidden strength and break our bonds before snapping our captors' necks, we are well and truly stuck."

"We're never stuck." Enys returned, frustratedly, "We always find a way out. We have to."

Devin sighed and leaned his head back against the post against which they were chained. Enys could not see his face, they were back to back, but she knew that it was one of utter hopelessness. Devin, despite his resourcefulness in most situations, was useless in the moments they were captured, which happened with alarmingly growing frequency. Enys looked around their surroundings once more, searching desperately for a route to escape. They had been put in the knights' tent, in the middle of a camp full of other knights, and were chained to the middle supporting post. The knights had bound them tightly and made sure that everything in the tent was well out of the reach of their legs. The knights themselves were outside, warming themselves next to a fire and cooking something that made Enys' stomach grumble loudly.

Her mind was blank. Even if she and Devin managed to break free of the chains, which was highly unlikely, then getting passed the knights would be next to impossible. And if they managed _that_ then they would have two even angrier knights on their tails. If that happened they'd be safer with Crotus and that was saying something.

Lost in thought, Enys felt Devin shift behind her and sit up straighter. She looked round and noticed that the two knights had entered the tent. Each of them was bearing a bowl of food.

"Orright you horrible pair," said the large bald one that Enys and Devin had learnt was named Bors, "We've got you some grub but if there is even a hint of you running away, I swear I will cut your throats."

Enys didn't believe him for a second: the knights had kept them alive this long, they must be useful in some way and if that was the case they certainly weren't going to kill them now.

"We won't run," Devin said quickly, "Promise."

The taller knight, Lancelot, chuckled, "And why is it that I have a feeling that a promise from you means less than nothing?"

Devin fell silent as the knights set down the bowls of food and reached for their chains, Bors undoing Enys' and Lancelot undoing Devin's. Bors leered at Enys as he did so, reminding her of the uncomfortabled hours she'd spent sat in front of him on his horse before they reached the knights' camp. Still, she had to admit, his ability to ride with one hand whilst groping her vigorously with the other was quite impressive.

As Enys' bonds fell away, Bors ruffled her hair roughly and Enys glared at him. He laughed coarsly, "Don't be so uptight sweetheart, you're not really my type - I prefer a lovely redhead over a brunette any day."

"Yes Bors," said Lancelot smoothly from where he was releasing Devin, "it's just a shame that your redhead seems to prefer someone with hair over someone without it - dark, curly hair, for example. Which is good for I prefer fairer women myself."

Bors grumbled as he shoved a bowl of food into Enys' hands. She gathered there was some sort of private joke at play and deemed it best to dig into the grey looking sludge in front of her. It seemed to be some sort of meat stew and she shovelled it into her mouth eagerly despite its dubious appearance.

Devin who had been listening to the exchange as well was not so cautious, "Enys is a redhead, well reddish-blonde, right nice colour hair, it's just a bit dirty at the moment. Maybe one of you would like to, y'know, in exchange for our freedom?"

"Devin!" Enys would have smacked him had not the knights been watching them closely. The thought had occured to her as well but she had hoped their situation was not quite as desperate as all that. Clearly Devin thought differently. _And he would, wouldn't he_, she thought angrily, _it's not he that'd have to put up with one of them sweating on top of him_.

"I can't work you out boy," said Bors with a grin, "Are you her lover or her pimp?"

Lancelot laughed, "Just a rat fleeing from a sinking ship I think Bors. Don't worry - Devin was it? - I'm sure we'll make use of your little friend yet, but there is no reason why that should mean we should let you go."

"You bloody won't 'make use' of me," Enys spluttered, "Not unless I get something in return."

Lancelot knelt in front of her and reached out to touch her hair, "Oh I wouldn't worry about it immediately," he sniffed at her, "I don't much fancy lying down with someone that smells of weeks on the run and whose hair is so filthy it has turned quite another colour."

He straightened up again, "But maybe after your bath I might be persuaded to listen to your furry friend's offer. I have after all had the pleasure of seeing what I would be sampling and was not displeased."

He grinned down at her sardonically and Enys scowled back, knowing he was referring to that morning when he had ripped off her tunic to expose the scar at the base of her neck.

"My bath?" she bit out.

"But of course! We're not going to have you meet the king in this state are we? I'll send someone in later with hot water." Lancelot turned to leave, "Bors, chain them up again, I have a meeting with Arthur to attend."

"Yeah that's right mate," Bors shouted at Lancelot's retreating back, "you leave me to sort this all out, that's fine."

Muttering angrily to himself he bent to lock the padlock on the chains binding Devin and Enys to their post. Enys stared folornley at her unfinished bowl of stew as he did so, wishing she had just eaten all of it instead of paying any heed to Devin's outburst and the knights' reactions. Her stomach gave a protesting groan, causing Bors to look up from his work.

"Don't worry girlie, Arthur won't let you go unfed."

"Why do I have to see him? I haven't done anything wrong."

Bors chuckled, "Well we both know that's a lie don't we. Don't worry? Your boyfriend'll be there to hold your hand."

He got to his feet in a lumbering sort of way, his knees creaking beneath the weight. With one more leering look and throaty chuckle he gave Enys and Devin a mock bow before stalking out of the tent and leaving them alone. They sat in silence for a while until Devin tentatively spoke.

"Why do you think the king wants to see us?"

Enys grit her teeth, "Well obviously it's about Crotus. It was no coincidence that those knights caught up with us. They've been tracking us and they knew about Crotus so that's probably why. Why else would they bother themselves with a pair of petty thieves? We're just part of a bigger picture, Devin."

"Shit." Devin muttered.

"Yes. Shit." Enys chewed her lip in thought for a bit until her mind fell again on Devin's earlier betrayal, "Oh and do you mind not offering my services every time we land in a scrape?"

She could feel Devin shrug behind her, "Ah well, you never have to perform them. We always think of something before it comes to that. Anyway it looks like we have our way out now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well they're all sweet as pie to us now aren't they?"

"Who?"

"The knights dummy, who else? Bringing us stew, getting us a bath - I bet you they give us some nice new clothes as well."

Enys frowned, "And how does that get us our way out?"

Devin sighed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "They're trying to butter us up - make us feel all special - so that we'll give them information. And if, like you say, this whole thing is about Crotus and not us at all then it'll probably be that they'll let us go in exchange for a few bits and pieces about him. And we might be able to get some coin out of the bargain."

"I spose so," Enys mulled it over in her mind, "But what if Crotus finds out? He'll skin you alive if he ever catches us."

"He hasn't caught us for four years."

"Maybe he hasn't been that bothered about us for four years, he's bound to be bothered if he finds out we've been squealing on him."

Devin was silent for a moment, "He wouldn't just let me go Enys. Trust me, he's been trying to catch us."

They talked for a long while about what they would and wouldn't give the knights and the price of their information. The voices in the camp grew louder as the night wore on rather than quieter and Enys could hear the roar of drunken gambling and ribaldry off in the distance. In her eighteen years on earth she had been in much more undesirable situations than this but something in the pit of her stomach told her that her simple life of theft and cheating was over. She and Devin were players in a larger game now and would have to keep their wits about them to come out alive.

The gloomy silence in which the two of the ended up sat was broken when once again someone entered their tent. This time it was neither Lancelot or Bors, Enys was relieved to see, but another knight tall and imposing but with soft smile rather than a leer on his face. He carried a small tub and was followed by a man who looked as though he was of lower rank. The second mand carried two large buckets of water.

"I have brought you your bath," said the huge Knight, "My name is Dagonet and I am a healer. Arthur has asked me to see that you are comfortable and clean."

"Tell you what mate," said Devin, testing his luck with the newcomer, "I'd be a lot more comfortable without these chains..."

Dagonet set the tub down with a thump and glared at Devin, "Just because I have been ordered to treat you well, do not make the mistake of thinking you can run rings around me." He turned to his companion, "Jols, please would you fill the tub?"

The man nodded and quickly emptied his buckets. Steam rose off the water which had clearly been heated and Enys could not help but feel a twinge of excitement. It had been so long since she'd had a proper bath. Washing in streams and ponds was all very well but not quite the same. She watched with piqued interest as Dagonet produced some bundles of herbs and a small vial of sweet-smelling oil and mixed them into the bath.

He noticed Enys' rapt attention and gave her a gentle smile, "I thought that as a lady you might be appreciative of such things. I have some soapwart also for you to wash with."

Enys hesitated and then said, "Thank you," the word trembling on her tongue. It had been a long time since she had felt the need to be polite to anyone but this man had just called her a lady and run her a beautiful bath, she tried to forget that he was a captor and an enemy.

When the bath had been properly brewed, Dagonet's squire disappeared again, 'Gone to get you both some new clothes", the knight explained.

He knelt to undo Enys' bonds and helped her to her feet. Her legs were shaky after spending so long sat upon the floor and Dagonet had to support her as the feeling came back to them.

"As the lady you have first rights to the bath," he said, "but I must watch you at all times you understand."

Enys immediately tensed, "They took my knife off me, the other knights, before and I ain't going to run naked through the camp to escape."

Devin sniggered, but Dagonet just held her gaze evenly and spoke seriously, "You are a prisoner that often escapes, as we have seen in the past, I must watch you but I will not leer at you. There are other knights that volunteered for this job, believe me you are lucky I am the one Arthur appointed."

Enys gave him her best glowering scowl but his lack of reaction told her that Dagonet would not give in. She thought of Lancelot or Bors watching over her instead and shuddered. They had been bad enough when she'd had her torn and tattered clothes on.

As quickly as she could, so as not to provide a show for either Dagonet or Devin, Enys pulled off her boots, leggings and undid the fastnings on her dress. She wriggled out of her shift and, covering as much of herself as she could with her arms and hands, jogged to the bath tub and got in. She caught Devin winking at her lasciviously as she did so and stuck her tongue out at him. Sinking into the warm water, she felt safer and more covered. Dagonet handed her the soapwart and she rubbed the waxy leaves into a lather on her skin, scrubbing off weeks of dirt and grime. Dagonet softly reminded her to clean under her nails, behind her ears and under her arms. Enys followed the instructions dilligently, scrubbing at her skin until the bath water had turned brown and murky.

When she was done, Dagonet discreetly passed Enys a cloth to cover herself and helped her out of the tub. He stared at her in silence for a while. Uncomfortable, Enys pulled the cloth tighter around her body and shot the knight a reproachful glare.

Dagonet shook his head and looked away, picking up the pile of clothes he had saved for her, "I am sorry, I did not mean to leer. You look different."

"Well I wasn't born with dirt on my face," Enys mumbled. She snatched the clothes out of Dagonet's grasp and slouched over to the back of the tent.

She heard Devin splashing around in the bath and making stupid conversation with Dagonet as she pulled the fresh tunic over her head. Enys had almost forgotten what it was like to be clean. Her skin tingled and the soft wool of the tunic tickled pleasantly instead of scratched. As she pulled on her new boots and did up the belt she'd been given, Enys felt herself stand a little straighter. She hoped she looked her best. After all, she and Devin were about to do battle with a king.


	4. Chapter 4

The walk to the King's tent seemed to take forever. Enys and Devin followed Dagonet solemnly throught the camp, avoiding the stares of the soldiers. Arthur's tent was naturally the largest. Flames from the campfires lit up the intricate embroidery which decorated it. Gold thread glittered in the dark red cloth. As they drew closer Enys and Devin exchanged glances.

Devin winked, 'We'll be alright Enys', he whispered, 'You just flutter your eyelashes and let me do the talking.'

'Let you do the talking?' Enys hissed, 'We'll be dead by the time the sun rises.'

Her companion snorted with laughter and Dagonet turned around, his face suspicious. Enys ducked her head to hide her own mirth and sniggered into the fur collar of her new dress. Involuntarily she found herself reaching for Devin's hand as the entered the tent. Their palms touched briefly in a tight squeeze and then they let go again. She gave Devin her brightest smile and he grinned back. If they were to die tonight, at least it would be together.

Dagonet swept open the entrance to the tent and Enys found herself bathed in golden light. The tent was vast, far larger than it had appeared on the outside, and was lit by a huge brazier in the centre of it. It took her eyes a moment to adjust from the gloom of the camp outside but gradually Enys was able to take in her surroundings with a thief's eye. There was a large table filled with papers and instruments that Enys did not understand. What she did understand was the material: everything seemed to glow golden. There were golden sheaths, shields, talismans littered around the tent. Expensive furs covered the floors and tapestries woven with silver and gold threads covered the coarse material of the walls. Everything would have been ripe for the taking, where it not for the huge, grim looking knights who watched Devin and Enys' progress into the tent with wary eyes.

There was no mistaking Arthur himself. Enys had never seen the King, nor even heard much of him, the underclass of criminals to which she belonged cared not for rulers or rules, yet she knew him as soon as she saw him. He sat regally on the other side of the table. His face calm yet stern and his hands clasped under his chin. As Enys and Devin were pushed forward he seemed to examine them both as if hoping to extract truth from the shapes of their chins or the way they walked.

'So,' said Arthur slowly, 'These are the two master criminals who have kept my best knights on their toes.'

Enys noticed the knights shuffle awkwardly out of the corner of her eye. How long exactly had the knights been trailing them? Since that night in the tavern? If so she and Devin had done a good job to keep them at arms length for so long. Enys almost felt proud.

Arthur rose and beckoned the two prisoners nearer, 'What are your names?'

Enys was surprised he asked, 'Enys sir.'

'He's a King, it's 'My Lord'.' Lancelot interrupted, with a wink at the King.

Arthur waved him off, smiling slightly, 'And you boy?'

'Er, Devin my lord.'

'Enys and Devin. And whether those are the names your mothers gave you only God knows, I suppose.' Arthur moved slowly around the table so that he stood close to Devin and Enys. Without speaking he unhooked a small pouch from his belt. Enys quickly scanned the King's apparell: gold cloak clips, intricately wrought metal belt buckle, finely woven tunic lined with rabbit fur, burnished bronze cuffs on both his wrists and a beautiful gold broach pinned to his chest. It was a nice little collection but not what Enys had expected from a King.

Arthur spoke again and Enys refocused her eyes on his face, 'Do either of you recognise this?'

He lifted something from the little pouch, something so tiny that Enys had to squint to see it. Beside her she felt Devin stiffen.

'That's Crotus' signet ring.'

Enys had never seen the ring before but she knew Devin had. The insignia on it was the same as the scar burnt into both of their backs: a tiny adder's head. Crotus' seal.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at Devin, 'We found this ring when we led a raid on Crotus' hideout in the South. It was on the finger of one of the corpses we burnt.'

Devin's face blanched noticeably.

Enys looked between Devin and the King rapidly, 'Crotus is dead? That's what you wanted to tell us? That's why you've been hunting us?'

Arthur did not reply. His eyes were glued to Devin who seemed transfixed by the signet ring. Enys had rarely seen Devin lost for words. He seemed positively struck dumb.

Eventually Lancelot broke the silence. He moved over to them and stood irritatingly close to Enys though he spoke to Devin. 'There was one survivor from our raid. An old man, Crotus' Uncle apparently, he was...persuaded...to tell us that Crotus never wore that ring on his hand. He always wore it on the chain around his neck. The man we killed was not Crotus. We asked him where we could find Crotus,' he leered at Enys, 'in the nicest way possible of course and he told us that Devin would know. A young lad called Devin to whom Crotus was very close.'

'There's lots of people called Devin.' The young man spoke for the first time.

'Yes but you're the one with Crotus' brand. You know you should be more careful about showing that thing off to barmaids...'

'Yes thank you Lancelot,' Arthur held up his hand, 'So it seems that you know where Crotus is. We need to find Crotus. Maybe a deal can be made.'

'Wait,' Enys interrupted, 'Why do you need to find Crotus now? He's been around for years and you lot have never bothered about it.'

'Because, Enys,' Arthur said sternly, 'This is my kingdom now and I will not allow thugs like Crotus to despoil this land and take advantage of my people. Crotus is more than a common criminal he is starting to raid vast areas of land, destroying lives. I cannot allow this.'

Enys almost laughed but instead snorted with surprise, 'Oh come on, Crotus just likes to run his brothels and taverns and screw a few coins out of people.'

'He used to like doing that and now he enjoys challenging my rule' Arthur bellowed turning his back on Enys and Devin and striding restlessly around the tent.

Enys was taken aback. The King's loss of temper was completely unexpected, he had spoken with such calm and clarity thus far. Now his face was stormy and his tone grim. Enys and Devin glanced at each other fretfully. Of all the things they'd talked over they had not prepared for this. The last they had heard of Crotus he had been a criminal, a powerful one but a criminal nonetheless, and now he seemed to be a rebel against the very throne.

Devin recovered his voice first, 'Well we ain't nothing to do with that.'

Enys joined in quickly, 'Honestly my lord, we don't give a shit who's king!'

Arthur stopped in his tracks and snorted with humourless laughter, 'And well I believe it.' He looked round at his men, 'It has come to this then, asking criminals who couldn't care less about who I am to help me keep my throne.'

The King sighed and sat back down at his table, 'Devin, you will help us to find Crotus.'

Devin grimaced and shook his head, 'Oh no I bloody won't. If he sees me again he'll bloody kill me.'

A tall knight with strange markings on his face spoke unexpectedly, his voice was quiet but his tone deadly, 'The King said that you _will_ help us find Crotus - it was not a request, it was an order.'

'You will be rewarded boy,' Arthur said in a kinder voice, 'And my men will protect you from whatever you fear Crotus will do.'

Devin looked sceptical. Enys did not blame him: among present company there was a man who'd tried to cut off his manhood after all. There didn't seem to be much choice however - for Devin at least.

'Well I don't see what any of this has to do with me.' Enys pointed out, 'If it's alright with you, My Lord, I'll leave you and your knights to this jaunt. You can set me down at the next town.'

Silence fell over the room. Devin scowled at Enys but she ignored him. If the King needed him then that was all well and good, she wasn't about the put herself in peril and go running after Crotus. Arthur seemed to be mulling over her suggestion and to help him to come to the right decision Enys gave him her best wide-eyed look.

Eventually the quiet was interrupted by the man who was rapidly becoming Enys' least favourite of those assembled.

'Arthur,' Lancelot burst out, 'You aren't seriously considering letting her go? What if she runs to Crotus and warns him? The man has enough allies to oppose you in open battle now and he will not hesitate to do so even on the words of this doe-eyed slut!'

'Maybe the King and his great knights should have thought of that before dragging me in here and speaking so openly in front of me! I aint going to tell Crotus - I don't want to be under any man's law, yours or his!'

Lancelot ignored her, 'We have no choice Arthur.'

'Fine,' Arthur rubbed a hand over his hair, 'Fine, we take her with us.

Enys opened her mouth to protest but Devin spoke over her, 'Oh shut up,' he snapped, 'You'll only make it worse.'

She clamped her mouth shut and ground her teeth in frustration.

The man with the tattoos spoke again, 'If we are to keep them both, they need to be split up my lord. They bicker now but later they will plot.'

Arthur nodded, 'Who wants the boy?'

No knight stepped forward.

The King sighed, 'The girl?'

There was an uneasy shuffling and a few sheepish voluntary voices.

'I'll have her,' Bors laughed, 'right lads?'

'And how will Vanora feel about that?' asked Lancelot lazily, 'When I whisper in her ear that you tried to seduce the girl who stole that precious love token from her?'

The youngest knight spoke up, like Lancelot he was dark-haired and handsome yet he seemed less sure of himself, 'And you think you should have her do you? She'll be a wreck by the morning.'

'And if you had her you'd whisper sweet nothings in her ear and cry all night, no girl wants that Galahad.' Lancelot winked at Enys, 'Any woman would enjoy being my wreck.'

Arthur made a disgusted face, 'Perhaps I should have made clear that the girl is to be protected and guarded not pawed over. If I hear anyone has touched her against her will, they will have me to answer to.'

'I will take her my Lord.'

Enys looked up in relief at the soft voice. Dagonet stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, 'She can help me tend the wounded. May as well make good use of her.'

'_I _would make good use of her Dag,' Lancelot interjected.

'You can take the boy.' Arthur said firmly.

Enys couldn't decide who looked more furious - Devin or the knight.

After three straight days of riding, Enys thought she would go mad. Everything hurt - her back, her arms, her legs, but mostly her arse. She did not like horses and had never learnt to ride so spent her days perched in front of Dagonet, gripping onto the saddle with all her might. Devin rode his own pony further up the line , close to the King. Occasionally she wondered if Devin really did know where to find the mighty Crotus. He had never mentioned any secret hideout to her but then there were a lot of things about his past that she did not know.

'You are quiet today' Dagonet observed, 'Usually you complain more.'

Enys shrugged, 'Complaining has not got me anywhere.'

Dagonet laughed, 'That is true.

* * *

><p><em>Hey, hope everyone's enjoying the story so far! Bit of a short chapter but I wanted to get on to the rest of the plot (ie more Lancelot ;) )<em>

_xx_


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